2016 BCBS Chicago Release (Black Friday & Beyond)

I'm all for welcoming new people to the craft beer community. I'll gladly share my knowledge. it's just annoying how the game has changed.

 

Yep. That was me and that was correct.

As for discussion about lower allocations and such, you're going to have a very hard time finding a lot of Coffee this year anywhere in the country, save maybe Chicago.

Happy to discuss at Prop Day, come say hi.

 

And guess who is at the front of the lines of releases here in MI for the same reason you listed. I was planning Black Friday in Chicago to join the madness but felt I'd be chasing in unfamiliar territory and end up with no more than I would at home, so I cancelled. I'm only missing out on Prop, which doesn't seem like I'm missing much now. I just hope I can find a fair amount of regular...my favorite beer. I am concerned though seeing too many reports of low distribution amounts this year. It was already hard to get if you weren't on your game. I'll see how I end up staying local and head to Chicago and trade for some later in the year if I need to.

 

I love (actually hate) the cycle of "when should I show up?" questions. If everyone showed up last year at 5am, this year they will show up at 4am because now it is common knowledge when the line started and many people will want to try and 'game' the timing to be first.

My guess is that if you aren't one of the first 25 people at the suburban binnys, you won't be getting prop. If you aren't in the first 50 people you won't be getting coffee. So if you roll up at 6am and see 50 plus people in line, save yourself the wait and weather and go home.

That is great.

 

I'm just saying, look at the time Zika started popping up. Coincidence?

 

Can someone who was at LP Binnys last year shed some light on the vinatge bottles that were being offered up? How close to the front were people that had the option to buy VRs, old Prop, etc., and how far into the line did the lesser vintages even last? Trying to set expectations, thanks.

 

I was like 500th in line and I bought a 2009 Bomber.

 

Does anyone have experience with some of the Binny's in the suburbs? I'm going to be in town visiting family so was planning on stopping by one of the Binny's locations but not sure how early I'd need to get there and what the allotment is?

Cheers
Devin

 

When did you line up?

 

It's been mentioned time and again -- but it really makes little to no sense to line up early at a suburban Binny's and run the risk of being shut out when you can use that same time, go downtown to LP, and practically be assured of a full allotment.

 

Do you recall how long it took for you to get through the line?

 

I recall people who showed up at LP at 9 and 10 got full allotments

 

You could have shown up at noon last year at LP and gotten full allotments.

 

It baffles me as to why this is. I get LP is the main event but why not make sure at least the first 20-30 people in line at the burb Binnys can't get the same allotment? Last year I was 8th in line and missed on 2 variants, why bother having it at the burb Binnys at all? Why not just say find a way to get to LP or go pound sand?

 

Last year, Binny's Bolingbrook:

Last rare went to someone in line at 3:45AM
Last Prop, if I remember correctly, went to someone in line around 5:30AM
Getting there two hours ahead of time earned you one of the last regulars

For all of you asking about the suburbs, it is not worth it.

 

I was 600-ish in line and got a 2010 and 2011 regular (i.e. two- 12 oz bottles) if I recall correctly. To be around #600 in line, I showed up around 1-2 am. Wasn't worth it after hearing about the allocations still available to the people who showed up much later that morning, although it was nice to be out of line sooner so that I could get on with my Friday.

 

How long does it take to get through the line from that point?

 

Totally agree, nobody should be surprised by LP being the main event at this point. Not complaining, just curious why it's SO minimal at the other stores to the point of being like 1% of what LP gets.

 

I've never had much of a problem finding a couple bottle of regular, and occasionally a barleywine or a coffee in the suburbs, and I'm not sitting at Binny's at 2AM. I think the bigger problem is that the vast majority of people aren't happy with just 2-3 bottles of BCS..they want 6.